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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25660825">Teaching You to Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/februarysun/pseuds/februarysun'>februarysun</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sunsets and Fire Lilies Don't Compare to You [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Azula meets Izumi, F/M, Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Fluff, Fluff and Angst, In this house we love and respect Mai, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Mai and Zuko's Daughter - Freeform, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Soft Zuko (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) is a Good Parent, Zuko and Mai are young parents, Zuko is soft for Izumi, baby Izumi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:07:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,242</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25660825</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/februarysun/pseuds/februarysun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Zuko has never known anyone to choose something because they think it is bad. Everything that Azula did, she chose to do because she was tricked into thinking that it was good and it was right. Azula is not a bad person. She was only raised in a palace shut out from the outside world with walls built out of lies. </p><p>Zuko wonders what it would be like if Azula could meet Izumi. The thought sticks with him for a while."</p><p> </p><p>Baby Izumi is introduced to her aunt Azula. But first, Zuko must convince everyone else that it's a good idea.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azula &amp; Mai (Avatar), Azula &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Iroh &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sunsets and Fire Lilies Don't Compare to You [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860667</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>502</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Platonic Ship Fics of AtLA</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Teaching You to Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Are we sure there’s guards stationed outside her door?” Zuko bit his bottom lip nervously and Mai trailed her thumb up from its place on his hips to soften his lips again before pressing a kiss into them. Even in the dim lighting of their bedroom, Mai can sense Zuko’s nervousness radiating off of him and- frankly- messing with her chance for a good night’s sleep for </span>
  <em>
    <span>once</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Zuko. There’s guards there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And there’s two?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two guards. Because I could swear that I only saw one and we specifically asked for-”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“There’s two guards. I saw them with my own</span>
  <em>
    <span> two</span>
  </em>
  <span> eyes.” Mai cracked a tired smile at her attempt at a joke but Zuko didn’t move from his rigid posture on the bed. Ok, she admits it was a bad one, but agni help her, she had been up for three weeks straight since Izumi had been born and it was wearing on her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mai felt the bed shift when Zuko rolled onto his back and she could just feel him working his lip again even though it was too dark to see. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few moments of silence when Mai’s eyes were slipping closed, he spoke again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does she have her favorite blanket? I’m not sure but I think she really likes that yellow one, you know, the one with the dragons on the edges, but sometimes it slips out of her crib in those little spaces in the sides and she hasn’t slept without it yet-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Zuko,” Mai’s sharp voice cut through the dark, then softened, “She’s alright. I know that she is. And if anything happens, you uncle’s got it covered. Can we </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span> sleep now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko must have heard something in her pleading tone because after a couple beats he sank into the mattress and pulled her close to him again, the sheets tangling around their intertwined legs. He felt her exhaustion by her shallow breaths and finally allowed himself to let go of some of the tension in his shoulders that had been building up over the last few months. Between a difficult end to Mai’s pregnancy, looking after a newborn, and some sudden major disruptions in Earth Kingdom trade agreements that Zuko had laid down years ago right after the war, they hardly had any time to themselves anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s right, anyway. Uncle had insisted that Mai and Zuko get some rest and that he would tend to Izumi if she woke up during the night- which she inevitably would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course. Go to sleep Mai. If Izumi doesn’t have her blanket I’m sure we’ll hear all about it from her in the morning,” Zuko’s mouth quirked up as Mai huffed out a laugh before collapsing her forehead against his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She is a talkative one.” Mai breathed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko felt Mai’s eyelashes brush against his bare chest as she closed her eyes and he pushed his hand up from its place on her back and into her hair to hold her closer against him. He tucked his chin on top of her head and listened to her breathing even out as she fell asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though Mai was asleep, Zuko couldn’t get his mind to settle. Normally Izumi wouldn’t be so far away from their room, but Uncle had taken one look at the bags under Zuko and Mai’s eyes and insisted she be kept by his guest room for the night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko finally fell asleep an hour later biting his lip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>_________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko thought that the multicolored fire the dragons had shown him and Aang at the Sun Warriors temple was the most beautiful thing he has seen in his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fire from the dragons was hot but comforting, inviting yet fearsome; it stilled something that had always been trembling inside Zuko and undid the lies that Ozai’s cruel fire and Azula’s cold flames had taught him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the moment that Izumi had been born, Zuko forgot everything he ever thought was more beautiful than her. Her beauty is the equivalent of a thousand Ba Sing Se sunsets and ten thousand fields of fire lilies. But unlike a sunset, her beauty does not fade into the night and unlike a fire lily, his love for her never wilts or dies. It is unshakeable and unbreakable and, at times, absolutely terrifying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Uncle had been there every step of the way, leaving the Jasmine Dragon for months on end to stay with Mai and Zuko while they were preparing for Izumi to arrive. Zuko and Mai didn’t expect to have a child so young, and they needed support from someone they knew didn’t have any ulterior motives. Zuko was comfortable with the palace staff at this point, but for some reason being an expecting parent plants random seeds of doubt in your mind that cannot be easily quelled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Izumi arrived two weeks early and Zuko had breathed a little easier knowing that Uncle was there to clear Zuko’s meetings and squeeze his shoulder when the stress of becoming a new parent started to get overwhelming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko wonders what his mother would say if she could see Izumi. He wonders if she would want to hold her and if she would point out how they look alike. He thinks he can see a bit of his mother in her features sometimes, but Zuko doesn’t know how his mother has changed in the years since he has seen her, or if his memory of her has changed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He never wants to know what would happen if Ozai met Izumi. He wants their only interaction to be when Izumi reads about him in her history books. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other hand, in the eight years since the war had ended, Azula had been getting… better. She is still kept secluded and confined to her room most of the time, but Zuko was visiting her more and more. Occasionally she puts herself back into the costume that she wore for their father’s stage but she’s slowly realizing that choosing good will free her from the chains that tied her to the things that she once thought were right: power, fear, war, glory. Zuko can’t blame her for being confused- he had the benefit of traveling the world and seeing what the war was like for people on the outside, and even then it took three years of trial and error for him to define what is right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko has never known anyone to choose something because they think it is bad. Everything that Azula did, she chose to do because she was tricked into thinking that it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>and it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Azula is not a bad person. She was only raised in a palace shut out from the outside world with walls built out of lies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko wonders what it would be like if Azula could meet Izumi. The thought sticks with him for a while. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>_________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My lord? Are- oh, good morning my lord. You asked me to wake you?” The palace guard stood awkwardly by the door as she called out to the two sleeping forms on the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he now,” Mai groaned. She pulled the sheets over her head as Zuko chuckled quietly and leaned over and kissed her softly on the shoulder- or, what he suspected to be her shoulder in the Mai-shaped lump under the covers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Ruka,” Zuko dismissed the guard and waited until she had closed the door fully behind her before diving underneath the covers and playfully grabbing Mai’s midsection to pull her in for a slow, morning kiss, this time on the lips. Despite her fake annoyance, Mai smiled against his chin as their lips parted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry about the early wakeup call. I figured that Uncle would be pretty tired after taking care of Izumi for the night. And sometimes she gets fussy if I haven’t held her for a while.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> get fussy,” Mai rolled her eyes teasingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t kid yourself, you hold her just as much as I do,” Zuko scoffed. Mai hummed in response and rolled onto her back to enjoy the morning sun shining through the fire-red silk drapes. Zuko had forgotten how amazing a good night's rest feels. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I was thinking-” Zuko started before Mai leaned over to cut him off with a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t think so much,” Mai breathed, framing his cheek with one palm and leaning in close to his face. Zuko indulged and lifted his head up slightly to return the kiss before thumping his head back on the pillow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really Mai, I’ve been thinking that…” Zuko trailed off and bit his lip. Zuko felt pinned under her close gaze and suddenly had the thought that this could go very wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mai furrowed her eyebrows for a moment and turned to prop herself up on both elbows beside him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I want Izumi to meet Azula,” Zuko finally said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In an instant, Mai shot up to a sitting position. Zuko tentatively sat up to match her posture. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? I’m sorry, we must still be dreaming because I thought that you said our three week old daughter should get anywhere near </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Mai said. Her expression was incredulous as she searched Zuko’s face, half expecting him to burst out laughing at any moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mai, it’s Azula. I know she’s not been the best person in the past, but-” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Not been the best person in the past? Zuko, you make it sound like she didn’t put me and Ty Lee in prison or, I don’t know, try to kill you in an agni kai,” Mai shouted, standing up from the bed and grabbing her hairbrush off of the vanity at the side of their room, harshly tugging it through her hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could have said the same thing about me before I decided to defeat Ozai. My life was a mess in the fire nation and you still forgave me and helped me escape from her at the Boiling Rock! Why is it any different for Azula?” Zuko didn’t mean for this conversation to escalate so quickly, but his frustration consumed him. Why couldn’t anyone see the progress Azula was making? If anyone had the right to be upset with her, it was Zuko, but for some reason he was the only one who was willing to give her a second chance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, really Zuko? Was your life with me a ‘mess’ before you left without a word to fight against me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not what I meant, Mai, you know that,” Zuko started, standing up on the opposite side of the bed. “I’ve been visiting her a lot recently and I wouldn’t put Izumi in a situation where she wasn’t safe. Azula deserves to see her-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mai slammed the hairbrush down on the vanity, making Zuko jump.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t act like I’m some heartless, unforgiving person, Zuko. And don’t pretend that I didn’t know her either, because she was my </span>
  <em>
    <span>best friend</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I was there for her when you were gone and I probably spent more time with her than you did your whole life but she still threw me and Ty Lee away when she didn’t need us anymore and you had left me and I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>alone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I was alone, Zuko, and now you come to me telling me that she should be allowed into our daughter’s life?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t that she hates Azula. She doesn’t. But Izumi is her daughter too, and every instinct she has is screaming at her to keep Izumi out of any possible danger. Even if that danger is her childhood best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was my sister before she was your friend. All I’m asking is for you to give her a chance,” Zuko whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mai left without a word. She didn’t seem to have anything to add. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>_________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zuko has learned over the years being firelord that peace is not one single event. It’s not even something that you can write in a declaration and set aside for the ink to dry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peace needs to be upheld; it needs to be defended and worked towards every second of every day and the responsibility of keeping it going doesn’t stop for anything- not birthdays or illness or new babies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Zuko has meetings to get to. A lot of them. He’s been slacking on his duties for the past few weeks to be with Izumi because he never wants her to feel alone or uncared for, even if she won’t remember any of it later. Today, though, Zuko needs to give Mai some space, so he alerts his advisors that he’s ready to get through as many meetings as possible in one day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Zuko started setting out maps and a few scrolls in preparation for the first meeting of the day, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking behind him, he was surprised to see Uncle Iroh standing behind him. Not so surprised, though, to see that he was holding a tray of tea with his other hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It already feels stuffy in here and the council hasn’t even shown up yet!” Iroh chuckled, setting down the tray and swiftly pouring him and Zuko a cup. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko smiled slightly and pushed the chair to his right out a bit in invitation for his uncle to sit down, which he did with a groan at his cracking joints. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mai arrived at Izumi’s room in quite a state this morning,” Uncle continued when Zuko didn’t initiate a conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izumi didn’t give you too much trouble last night, did she?” Zuko asked, avoiding the subject. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, she was quite alright. I’m glad you and Mai got some time to rest. You’ve been working so hard, nephew. Being a new parent is difficult.” </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Zuko quietly took a small sip of his tea before setting it back down on the table and staring into the cup to avoid Uncle’s gaze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncle, do you think that Ozai loved Azula?” Zuko asked. It was rare for him to express his thoughts so directly, but with Uncle here he felt safe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Uncle paused for a moment and Zuko looked up hesitantly as the silence grew. His uncle had resumed sipping his tea, thoroughly considering Zuko’s question. </span>
  <span>“I think that Ozai felt that other things were more important than love,” Uncle finally answered, “and perhaps he forgot how to love, eventually. Why do you ask, nephew?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“It’s just- it’s just that you chose me and mom chose me and now I realize that Mai chose me too. So in the end I don’t think that anyone was there to show her how to love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Iroh fell quiet again as he considered Zuko’s words, but Zuko had more to say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told Mai that I want to take Izumi to meet my sister, and I guess that I didn’t consider how Azula’s hurt more people than just me. Uncle, Ozai had so many chances to love but Azula only had his example to go off of. I think she could use some more people to show her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And do you want Izumi to be that model for her?” Iroh asks patiently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that Izumi is the only person left who she hasn’t hurt in some way. I think that Azula deserves a family member who won’t judge her for who she used to be, only for who she is now. I think that Izumi could teach </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone </span>
  </em>
  <span>how to love.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His voice was trembling slightly, and when Uncle set his tea down to draw Zuko in for a hug, Zuko didn’t resist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so too,” Uncle Iroh said against his shoulder.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The council arrived two minutes later for the meeting, and Zuko managed to leave his Uncle’s arms just in time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>_________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Moonlight trickled in through the curtains of Izumi’s room, which Zuko had always thought was ridiculously large for someone less than a month old. It was the second time Zuko had been woken up in the night at Izumi’s cries but she was now sleeping again, safely cradled in Zuko’s arms. As he rocked her back and forth slowly, Zuko trailed the soft part of his pinky finger up and down her round cheek. Usually he would be praying to Agni and any other god that heard that she would stay asleep until morning, but he hadn’t fallen asleep yet tonight anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe Mai was right and he did get fussy when he didn’t get to hold Izumi. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With his back towards the door, Zuko didn’t see Mai walk up to him until he felt arms wrap around him from the back. Mai rested her head on Zuko’s shoulder and traced Izumi’s arms, hugging her closer to Zuko’s chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neither of them seemed willing to talk yet, but Zuko was content to just stand there and exist in Mai’s embrace with their daughter in his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Mai who finally broke the silence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry about before.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko startled a bit. That was not what he was expecting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No, Mai you were right. Izumi shouldn’t be put in any situation that could hurt her, and we’re not entirely sure how stable Azula would be if she met her.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up. I know I was right- you shouldn’t have acted like you are the only one who knows Azula, because you’re not. What I’m trying to say is,” Mai paused to move to Zuko’s side as she turned Zuko’s cheek so they were looking face to face, “I think it’s a good thing that you haven’t given up on Azula. I know it’s easy for everyone to forget about her and move on with their lives, but you haven’t.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Mai-” Zuko choked up and looked down again to keep himself under control. He didn’t know what to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are a fierce mother. Izumi is so lucky to have you.” is what he settled on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Mai replied. “That’s why I’ll be ready with my knives if Azula tries to do anything to hurt our daughter,” Mai smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko startled for a second time and looked up at her again with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean- you’re okay with taking Izumi to see her?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mai’s smile softened a bit. “I mean it, Zuko. She tries one thing and Izumi’s out of there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko sniffed wetly and, finding his arms still full with a sleeping newborn, leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. After a moment she kissed him and turned to leave the room. “Now put our daughter to bed so I can go back to sleep,” Mai yawned as she left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good night little Izumi,” Zuko whispered as he lay her back in her crib. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Zuko was planning on following Mai back to their room, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt if he stood here and watched her breathe for a few more minutes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>_________________________________</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Uncle and Mai trailed closely behind Zuko as they entered the high security facility Azula was in. Both Uncle and Mai were still a little on edge, and Zuko was doing his best not to let their nerves affect him. This whole thing was his idea, and he wanted it to go smoothly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mai was holding Izumi, so Zuko tried not to fidget with the hem of his sleeve with his empty hands. They passed the initial check-in and a staff member started walking them down the hallway to Azula’s room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually the group stopped in front of Azula’s door. Zuko bit his lip and turned back to his Uncle, Mai and Izumi. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I should go in first, just to… just to see how she is today.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mai nodded silently and her and Uncle stepped out of view so Zuko could walk into Azula’s room alone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azula was sitting on the bed with her back towards Zuko, playing with a small flame of blue fire in her hand. Zuko could almost cry at how carefully she held the fire, as if it was something to be admired instead of a tool for fear. Seven years ago, Azula had been kept in a much smaller room than what she was in now; while her new room is still pretty sparse, the more she was able to control her flames, the less nervous the hospital staff got about allowing her to be around potentially flammable furniture. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azula spoke first without even turning around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Zuzu. You haven’t been here for a while.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“How did you know it was me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be an idiot. I heard your footsteps. Some of the staff around here are so timid when coming in here, especially the new ones. Don’t you have some say in who works here, Zuzu?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I’m not firing any of the staff.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I was going to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>banishing, </span>
  </em>
  <span>which is far more exciting. You take the joy out of everything,” Azula laughed, finally twisted around to look at Zuko. She kicked her legs off the side of the bed, managing to look exactly like a princess even while wearing a simple red tunic and sitting in a white-walled room. She stared Zuko down for a moment, waiting for him to reply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, you’re right, I haven’t been here in a while. I was um… I was busy with something. And I thought that maybe you could meet it. Her. Meet her.” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck as Azula sneered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Her? Did you move on from Mai so quickly, Zuzu?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No, no that’s not what I meant. I just…” Zuko looked over his shoulder to the door and then back at Azula. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a second, okay?” Zuko said. Azula folded her arms across her chest, having enough decency to at least look slightly curious at Zuko’s odd behavior. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko turned the corner to where Uncle and Mai were waiting and motioned for them to follow him. Izumi was awake and squirming slightly in Mai’s arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azula hadn’t left her place on the bed when he got back into the room. She peered around Zuko at Mai and Uncle but didn’t show any signs of seeing Izumi, who was hidden behind Zuko’s frame. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Azula, I’d like you to meet my daughter,” Zuko said, stepping to the side to reveal the baby in Mai's arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bed creaked when Azula stood up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Out of his peripheral Zuko saw Uncle take a step closer and Mai tighten her grip on Izumi, but he was laser focused on Azula. Izumi had stopped wriggling in Mai’s hold and gone almost completely still as she peered up at this new stranger. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Azula’s expression was unreadable as she approached Izumi. She stopped about a foot away from Mai, and Zuko had never seen her eyes go so soft. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azula swallowed hard. “What’s her name?” Azula whispered. She was asking Zuko, but her face never left Izumi’s big brown eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Izumi. This is Princess Izumi. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that Mai was pregnant before. It’s just that we were being really careful and I wanted to bring it up at the right time but it never really seemed like the right time and-”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Shut up, Zuko.” Azula said, but her words didn’t have their usual bite. “Just let me look at my niece.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azula reached her hand out towards Izumi. Mai breathed in sharply through her nose but Azula didn’t seem to notice her ex-best friend's hesitation. After what felt like an eternity, Azula gently touched the back of Izumi’s hand. Izumi immediately twisted her hand to grasp onto Azula’s pointer finger, her tiny fingers wrapping around Azula like a lifeline. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko’s breath caught in his throat. Izumi hadn’t ever held onto anything before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually Izumi relinquished her grip and Azula quickly dropped her hand, taking a step back from the group. She looked almost embarrassed at her display of emotion. Wow, that was a look Zuko hadn’t seen for a while. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can visit with her again if you like. I’ll bring some scrolls for you to read to her, maybe. And her favorite blanket. It’s yellow, with dragons on the edges,” Zuko said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azula nodded slowly, still not taking her eyes off of Izumi. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s…” Azula trailed off, awkwardly making eye contact with Mai for the first time since they stepped in the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko seemed to know what she was going to say anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beautiful,” Zuko agreed, “I know. She’s beautiful.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Izumi started squirming again and Mai shot a glance at Zuko that said it was time to leave. Azula seemed to sense the finality of the conversation as well, turning away from the group slightly as Uncle led the way out of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Mai,” Azula spoke just before Mai had stepped out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When um, when Princess Izumi visits again, would you like to accompany her?” </span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Mai felt her mouth turn up a little bit. It wouldn’t look like a sincere apology by any means to a bystander, but Mai understood the weight behind Azula’s words and all that was left unsaid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, Azula. That would be nice,” Mai replied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Azula nodded tightly and turned fully away from them, returning to sit on her bed in the same position she was in when Zuko first arrived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zuko thought, for just a moment later that night when he was up consoling a crying Izumi, that he could see some of Azula in her features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But perhaps it was just a trick of the light. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Make sure to subscribe to the series for more! </p><p>hmu on tumblr @jasmine-tea-and-unfried-dough - I mostly reblog atla art and zukka stuff :) </p><p>If you liked it, let me know... I appreciate it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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